Was it common to switch out components?
 

I grabbed a Schwinn Caliente from my neighbor's trash this morning and I have been trying to find info on it online. According to the head badge (0720), it was built in 1990. The serial # is SC005394. However, the doesn't have the components that I would have expected to see based on this page: http://www.trfindley.com/flschwinn_1...0/1990_04.html

For example, it has a Shimano SIS index shifter instead of a Tourney, a Shimano UG chain instead of the KMC, and it is also a 12-speed instead of a 10.

So, what the heck? Was it common for bikes to be built to other than catalog specs or am I just getting wrong info on what was spec'd for the 1990 Caliente?

TIA!

I'm a little new to the vintage side of cycling so maybe someone will correct me...

But if it had been ridden a lot, a new chain is not uncommon. Sometimes if a very warn out chain is ridden for too long it can damage other components, like cogs and chainrings. Upgrading from a 5 to a 6 speed would not be out of the question. Perhaps at one time your neighbor was quite in to cycling and put on LOTS of miles and wore out the stock freewheel, got enticed to upgrade when it came time to get a new freewheel and went for the "full meal deal" and got upgraded shifting gear too. That's assuming you can go from a 5 to 6 speed freewheel w/o a hub upgrade.

That's one hypothesis.

Upgrading to 12 rather than staying with 10 was very common. How far the change went depends on the condition of the rest of the parts at teh time and the salesmanship of the LBS.

The question is, do you feel the need to switch back? They sound like upgrades, or replacements that were better than original. And yes, it was common to replace components. They fail, etc, like any other part. Still do, so it still is.

of course! at this point i have quite a few bikes, a few bought brand new. NONE of them have all the original drive parts.

remember these bikes were bought to be ridden, some upgrade for the better feel of better components, things wear out, etc...

No, I don't want to switch back...I generally like upgrades :)

first of all if I remember correctly the Caliente was the entry level bike yes? in 1990 if a bike did not index it did not sell. I do not believe tourney was an indexing derailuer. also bike companies make money off mass production so why have a lowend 5 speed freewheel when it cost just pennies more a peice to make the 6speed like everything else under $500. also on the back of every catalog it it usually says parts subject to change at anytime.

Well, there you go....welcome to our world....:)

I did very similar upgrades to an older Schwinn Traveler a couple of months ago. I had a set of donor six speed alloy wheels, so off went the old steel ones. I did a couple of other upgrades as well (all from the parts bin). The bike has moved on to another home and it garnered a lot of interest.

The bike had a really clean frame with nice original paint, so I went ahead and made it something decent.